The invention relates to a water discharge device (faucet) having a hose sliding in a curved pipe and a spray head with a discharge mouthpiece that may be pulled downwardly out of the curved pipe whereby a switching valve arranged on said spray head is positioned in a housing that is dimensioned in such a manner that it may be grasped and operated by the user with one hand, and whereby an operating lever projects to the outside thereof by which said switching valve may be actuated.
A water discharge device of the aforementioned type is known in the art from EP 0 933 136 A. It is a kitchen spray faucet and it can be switched from a center stream discharge to a spray discharge. A switching valve must be switched for this purpose whereby said switching valve has a tappet-shaped valve member that is moveable in its longitudinal direction between two positions. A pivoting lever is mounted on the housing to switch the valve member whereby said pivoting lever is arranged below a flexible push-in membrane. This push-in membrane and said lever project from the back of the housing and it may be operated by the hand that is grasping the spray head. It is essential in such water discharge devices that the type and ways of operation are obvious and may be understood without instructions. The operating lever is not visible in case of the push-in membrane and it is not very clear how such a water discharge device is to be operated and how it is to be switched, in particular.
It is the object of the invention to provide a device of the aforementioned type that avoids said disadvantages. However, it should still be simple and cost-effective in its production and is should be operationally reliable as well.
The object is achieved in a water discharge device of this type in that the operating lever is a bail (U-shaped lever) that is pivotably mounted and connected to a switching arrangement disposed in the housing with which a valve member of the switching valve may be moved in its longitudinal direction when the bail is pivoted whereby said bail is mounted on the housing and it is designed in such a manner that it may be operated with the thumb of the hand that is grasping the housing. The bail is preferably arranged on the face of the housing and it is projecting upwardly thereof. Such a bail may be comfortably pivoted with the thumb and it may also be readily recognized as an operating device. With the water discharge device of the invention, there is an operation possible that is workable ergonomically in a simple manner without instructions and its operation is thereby self-explanatory.
Should the valve member be slidable by means of a cam of the switching device, as in a development of the invention, then operation is possible with a relatively small pivoting angle. Such a small pivoting angle simplifies the operation of the bail. This pivoting angle is preferably less than 45 degrees. A pivoting angle in the range of approximately 20-25 degrees has been shown to be ideal.
According to a development of the invention, it is proposed that the bail is locked in its two functioning positions. The two positions may then be found very easily and fixed thereby. For example, the switching valve is adjusted in the first locked position for a central stream discharge and in the second locked position for a spray discharge. Preferably, locking is achieved and it is very simple in its construction by means of a catch stop that is attached to a cam and which in turn may lock into a part of the water-guiding part.